STSW Files NHL Amended Class Action Complaint

BALTIMORE, February 19, 2014 – Today an Amended Class Action Complaint in the matter of Leeman, et al. v. National Hockey League, et al. (Civil Case No. 13‐CV‐1856‐ KBJ) has been filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Four former National Hockey League players publicly joined the class‐action lawsuit alleging that the League failed to adequately respond to the serious health risks posed by concussions and other head injuries incurred while playing in league games. The new plaintiffs – three‐time All‐Star center Bernie Nicholls, former Sports Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year” Bob Bourne, famed “enforcer” Scott Parker, and former All‐Rookie defenseman Bruce Bell – are representative of scores of other NHL players who have joined the lawsuit which was originally filed by Baltimore law firm Silverman|Thompson|Slutkin|White.

Steve Silverman, the managing partner of the firm and lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said “We applaud Mr. Nicholls, Mr. Bourne, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Bell for having the courage to stand up to NHL and demand that it be accountable for putting massive profits ahead of player safety.”

Nicholls played a total of 1,245 games between 1981 and 1999 for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks. An All‐Star in 1984, 1989, and 1990, he is one of only five players to ever score at least 150 points in a season (along with Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, and Phil Esposito). He is also one of only eight players in the NHL to score at least 70 goals in a season – a feat that remains a team record for the Los Angeles Kings, for which Nicholls is the fifth all‐time leading scorer.

Bob Bourne played the bulk of his 1,103 total games with the New York Islanders, where he won the Stanley Cup four consecutive times between 1980 and 1983 and is a member of the team Hall of Fame. In 1987, Bourne was named a “Sportsman of the Year” by Sports Illustrated, and, at the conclusion of the 1987‐1988 season, he won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to him by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association for his dedication to the game and perseverance during an NHL career that began in 1974.

Also publicly joining the suit are Scott Parker, who won the Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche and was nicknamed “The Sheriff” for his reputation as a ruthless fighter, and Bruce Bell, an All‐Rookie defenseman whose career was sadly

cut short after a devastating body‐check by Wendel Clark – perhaps Clark’s most infamous hit ever.

The four join nine other former players that have volunteered to be public representatives of a class led by former All‐Star winger Gary Leeman in the case, which seeks treatment and compensation from the NHL for its promotion of violent gameplay while actively concealing the health hazards associated with concussions and other head injuries. Many other former players have joined and continue to join the lawsuit but prefer to remain private because of fear of reprisals by the League.

“The number of players who suffer day in and day out from the enduring effects of concussions and other head trauma is staggering,” said Silverman. “For decades, the NHL has ignored their hardships and sought to silence anyone who tried to bring them to light. But now, players are realizing that they are not alone in this ordeal and that, together, they can finally make the NHL recognize the problem and accept responsibility for it. All of our clients were constantly cleared to return to play by the teams’ medical representatives who knew or should have known better. “

For further information, contact Steve Silverman at ssilverman@mdattorney.com or 1‐800‐385‐2243.

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